Oakland University Senate
April 13, 1967
MINUTES
PRESENT: Messrs. Brace, M. Brown, Burke, Cameron, DiChiera, Dutton, Gibson, Haden, Beardslee, Hough, Johnson, Lyons, Lowy, Malm, Marz, Matthews, O'Dowd, Stoutenburg, Stubblefield, Tipler, Tomboulian, Torch, Vann, Varner, Williamson
ABSENT: Messrs. Butler, Booth, G. Brown, Hildum, Collins, Harding, Hetenyi, Heubel, Hammerle, Mobley, Sargent, Simmons, Moeller, Swanson
GUESTS: Messrs. Jon Appleton, Atkinson, Davis, Linsalata, Pino
Chancellor Varner called the meeting to order at 3:40 p.m.
Mr. Hetenyi moved to accept the minutes of the April 7, meeting of the Senate. Seconded by Mr. Brace. Approved.
OLD BUSINESS
Mr. Burke reintroduced his March 21, motion, seconded by Mr. O'Dowd, to make the following insertion in the catalog under "Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree" as a footnote to Item 1.
*A student may count no more than 4 one-credit courses toward the bachelor's degree except in his major field and co-requisite courses.
Comment:
The reason for suggesting this qualification to the 124-hour graduation requirement is that it is possible at the present time for an undergraduate student to acquire an unlimited number of hours in chorus, orchestra, computer programming, and other areas in one-credit units and to apply these hours toward his bachelor's degree. A student enrolled in a major with relatively limited requirements, who is free to select a large number of elective courses, may accumulate some important portion of undergraduate graduation credits in one-credit courses. There have been no more than one or two incidents of this kind, but a regulation is needed to set a reasonable limit on the number of one-credit courses that can be applied toward graduation.
Mr. M. Brown's amendment, seconded by Mr. Hildum, which was not voted on at the April 7, meeting, then became the first order of business.
*A student may count no more than 8 one-credit courses toward the bachelor's degree except in his major field and co-requisite courses.
Not approved.
Mr. Hetenyi moved to table the main motion on the grounds that this is a matter for the organized faculty (created by the new constitution) to decide for their students. No time limit was placed on this motion.
Seconded by Mr. Marz. Approved.
Mr. Burke reintroduced his March 21, motion, seconded by Mr. Malm, that the following sentence be added at the end of the first paragraph in the catalog under "Major Standing and Requirements for Majors."
A student who has completed 72 or more credits and does not have major standing, is not eligible to continue as an enrolled student except by special action of the Committee on Academic Standing.
Comment:
The following administrative procedures and policies will be put into effect in support of this legislation if it is approved:
1) Every student with 56 credits of work attempted will continue to be given an opportunity to apply in a standard manner for major standing in an established department. It will be necessary for every major to have an approved set of courses established at the time he is admitted to the department and at the beginning of each semester in which he is in residence.
2) Departments will be given assistance in developing a procedure for establishing and recording a major program of courses for each advanced undergraduate student. This program will require approval by an adviser who is a member of the department faculty. Any change in the major program will require the approval of the major adviser.
3) Under normal circumstances a student will retain major standing as long as he maintains a 2.0 average in the courses that constitute his approved major program. If a student falls below 2.0 in approved major courses, he may be dropped from major standing by the department with the approval of the Dean of the School. The student does not need to be placed on probation or warning prior to being denied continuation of his major standing. The wide publication of the policy itself constitutes a continuous warning. The student has the right of appeal to the Committee on Academic Standing, which will have a power of final review.
4) Regular data will be supplied to the departments to facilitate the clerical chore of keeping the progress of the major program of each student under continuous review. The Registrar's Office will make every effort to provide the departments with well-designed materials to facilitate the implementation of this plan.
5) Except in unusual circumstances, a department is obligated to accept all applicants for major standing who meet the criteria stated by the department in the University Catalog.
Mr. Hammerle moved to amend the motion by deleting "not eligible to continue as an enrolled student except by special action of the Committee on Academic Standing" and to add after the word "is," "liable for dismissal by the Committee on Academic Standing." Seconded by Mr. Stubblefield. Approved.
The main motion, with the amendment, was then approved.
Mr. Burke reintroduced his March 21, motion, seconded by Mr. O'Dowd, to establish a program for independent study off campus.
The Academic Affairs Committee recommends that a Program of Independent Study Off-campus be established, with an appropriate entry in the Catalog, incorporating the following stipulations:
1) Any undergraduate student in good standing will be eligible to participate in the program after the completion of two semesters in residence.
2) A written proposal describing a course of activity will be prepared by a student applicant prior to beginning the program.
3) This proposal and the off-campus work it describes must receive the support and involvement of at least three members of the faculty, and the approval of the Dean of the relevant college.
4) All arrangements for off-campus work must be completed and filed by the end of the pre-registration period in the semester preceding the semester of off-campus study.
5) It is expected that part of the preparatory work will include the designation of course equivalents totaling at least eight credits for the independent study to be accomplished. This is to be effected by negotiation with the supporting faculty members.
6) Whenever credit is sought toward the completion of a major, the department, through its chairman, must agree to the value of the independent work.
7) The Dean of Students Office will require a release from parents absolving the University of responsibility for the well-being of students while they are participating in off-campus independent study.
8) The initial approval of a program for a student will be for one semester with the provision that the student may request an extension of the program for additional semesters.
9) The student must be registered at Oakland and pay the required fees during the period of independent study.
Comment:
We believe that for some students such a program would permit more rapid and significant growth as a scholar and mature person. Two students were given special approval to try out this idea during the winter semester of 1966, and the experiment seems to have been successful. We would expect that very few students would meet all the stipulations listed above, especially #3, 4, 6, and 7; and that those who could meet them might very well benefit greatly from this program.
Mr. Hetenyi moved to amend the motion by deleting the words, "incorporating the following stipulations," and placing a period after "Catalog." Seconded by Mr. Hammerle. Not approved.
The main motion was then approved.
Mr. Hetenyi moved that we reconsider the voting on the above item because of a misunderstanding as to the nature of the vote. Seconded by Mr. Vann. Not approved.
Mr. Burke moved to table the above item until the next meeting. Seconded by Mr. Tipler. Not approved.
Mr. Cameron moved to amend item A1C3 by deleting the words, "and the approval of the Dean of the relevant college." Seconded by Mr. Stubblefield. Not approved.
Mr. Haden moved to amend item A1C6 by adding to the end of the sentence, "and devise adequate means for evaluating the work." Seconded by Mr. Dutton. Not approved.
Mr. Dutton moved to amend Item A1C7 by adding after the word "parents," "under 21 years of age." Seconded by Mr. Stubblefield. Approved.
The main motion with Mr. Dutton's amendment was then approved.
Mr. Johnson reintroduced his motion of March 21, seconded by Mr. Mobley, to revoke item H of the enabling legislation on graduate programs dated April 22, 1965.
The Senate revokes Item H of its enabling legislation on graduate programs (April 22, 1965) which reads, "Graduate-Undergraduate Courses Taken as a Graduate Student: In general, M.A. and M.S. candidates may be allowed no more than 12 M.A.T. students no more than 20, graduate credits for joint graduate-undergraduate courses."
Motion approved.
Mr. Johnson reintroduced his motion of March 21, seconded by Mr. Mobley, to change the numbering system of courses offered by Departments.
University courses and courses numbered 100-299 are introductory or intermediate undergraduate courses. Courses numbered 300-499 are advanced courses primarily for undergraduates. Courses numbered 500 and above are primarily for graduate students.
Comment:
The present regulations* governing course numbering, together with the graduate regulation stated in the first motion, do not work well for several departments now offering graduate work. They are too specific for disciplines in which it is customary to attach graduate credit to a number of nominally undergraduate courses and in which virtually any graduate course, other than one giving credit for thesis work, will on occasion be taken by undergraduates. As a consequence, the bulk of courses taken by candidates for graduate degrees are in reality joint undergraduate-graduate courses, and such candidacies are in technical violation of our regulation on such courses.
Motion approved.
NEW BUSINESS
Mr. O'Dowd moved the recommendation of the Steering Committee to permit all members of the Senate who are available on campus in early May and late June to act on the recommendation of candidates for Honors and Degrees.
All members of the Senate who are available on campus in early May and late August will assemble to act on behalf of the entire body in approving the recommendation of candidates for honors and degrees. The requirement of a minimum of fifteen votes for the enactment of legislation will be suspended for these spring and summer meetings of the Senate.
Seconded by Mr. Stubblefield. Approved.
Mr. Hammerle moved to vote on the next item today. Seconded by Mr. Vann. Approved.
Mr. O'Dowd moved the recommendation of the Steering Committee that the present Senate retain the power of official action until fall.
The Senate as presently constituted will remain in office from May 1, 1967, until the legislative body established in The Constitution of Oakland University, the University Senate, is organized in the fall of 1967.
Seconded by Mr. Lyons. Approved.
Mr. O'Dowd reported the action of the Steering Committee on the following items:
a. The Steering Committee at the request of Chancellor Varner nominated seven members of the faculty to serve as members of a Commission on Student Life. The faculty members who accepted this important responsibility are: Messrs. Haden, Howes, Rosemont, Sturner, Tipler. Torch, and Vann.
b. Three members of the faculty, Messrs. Hetenyi, Tomboulian, and Wedekind, have been nominated by the Steering Committee to serve on a newly created Parking Commission.
c. The Steering Committee has decided to postpone further discussion of the grading system until the fall semester. The complexity of the issue and the congestion of the agenda suggest that the problem could not be given the attention it deserves during this academic year. The Academic Affairs Committee and the Committee on Instruction are commended for their persistence in proposing solutions to grading difficulties.
Mr. Tomboulian reported on the discussions of the Parking Commission's three meetings and stated that he would send a memo to the Chancellor on April 14, describing the Commission's recommendations.
Meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.
HNS:je
*"With the exception of University courses which are taken throughout all eight semesters, courses numbered 100-199 are normally taken by students in the first and second semesters, 200-299 courses in the third and fourth semesters, 300-399 in the fifth and sixth semesters, and 0-499 in the seventh and eighth semesters. Courses numbered 500-599 are assigned to introductory graduate-level courses, but most are also available to undergraduates; numbers 600-699 are generally assigned to courses for graduate students.